---
# System prepended metadata

title: Introduction to HackMD

---

# Introduction to HackMD

We will be using HackMD to take notes collaboratively during the class and to share links in real time.

## How to edit in HackMD

![HackMD screenshot showing view mode and pointing a button to switch to edit and view mode on the left top, in between edit button with a pencil icon and view button with an eye icon](https://i.imgur.com/hNpEC9O.png)

If you see this page in view mode like the screen shot above, do either of the following to enable editing. 
1. **Edit mode**: <kbd>Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>Alt</kbd>+<kbd>E</kbd>, or click the button with a pencil on the left-top to swich to edit mode
2. **Both mode**: <kbd>Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>Alt</kbd>+<kbd>B</kbd>, or click the button with a square with a vertical line in the middle 

## What's the format used here?

HackMD uses markdown. The most useful "commands" can be obtained by clicking the menu on top of the editor, as shown in the screenshot below. For a more detailed description check this [markdown cheatsheet](https://github.com/adam-p/markdown-here/wiki/Markdown-Cheatsheet) (and the [emoji's cheatsheet](https://gist.github.com/rxaviers/7360908)).

![HackMD screenshot showing the options for rich formatting of markdown](https://i.imgur.com/nwFTkX3.png)

Markdown is also rendered automatically by GitHub and by Jupyter notebooks! :tada:

## Change editor background colour

The default editor theme is dark, but sometimes it may be difficult to see line numbers (and we may refer to them sometimes). 
![HackMD screenshot showing the menu at the bottom of the editor marking with an arrow where to switch to the light theme](https://i.imgur.com/TCGIC7b.png)
![HackMD screenshot showing the menu at the bottom of the editor using the light theme](https://i.imgur.com/3nPfY4D.png)

## Posting Questions

We will have always a `Questions` section at the bottom of the file so you can post your questions during class. We invite to anyone to answer them! 

If you want to add your name but want it to be deleted afterward, please use 
`- [name=XYZ]` so that it shows like; 
- [name=XYZ] What's the weather like in London today?
  - [name=ABC] It's 15ºC and :partly_sunny: 



# Questions

Here you can post any question you have while we are going through this document. A summary of the questions and the answers will be posted in moodle after each session. Please, use a new bullet point for each question and sub-bullet points for their answers.

For example writing like this:
```
- Example question
  - [name=student_a] Example answer
  - [name=TA_1] Example answer
```
produces the following result:
- Example question
  - [name=student_a] Example answer
  - [name=TA_1] Example answer

Write new questions below :point_down: 

- Have we drunk :coffee: today?
  - [name=David] Not, yet.


###### taywgs: `mphy0021` `teaching` `guides`